On July 27, 2012 Farouq Taha announced his defection from the Syrian regime, Al-Jazeera reported.
In an interview with the Doha-based television channel, Taha said that the regime did not refrain “from threatening to attack the families and properties of the officials who want to defect.”
The ambassador also said that seven months ago he objected to the security approach adopted by the regime to quell the protests and that the Syrian government had put an end to his diplomatic mission as a result.
“I could only announce my defection recently since the regime practices its oppression on the inside and outside the country,” he added. He also said that his priority was for supporting the revolution and not publically announcing defections “since silence is not an option anymore, but rather treason.”
Taha is deeply attached to the Belarusian capital. As he and his wife are frequent theatre-goers, they liked to go to Minsk Opera and Ballet Theatre. “Not merely I live in Minsk but also it lives inside me. I breathe it in, and every its place is precious to me. The city is reflected in children’s smiles, Minsk women’s clothes, streets’ cleannes, working tempo,” former Syrian ambassador poeticized.
Taha served in the Syrian government for 44 years, including 26 years as a diplomat.
Belsat
